Can your readers feel the love you have for them? (If you don’t love your readers, you probably shouldn’t be writing for publication.)
In an industry book contest, one of the judges wrote, “James Watkins is no author.” Ouch! That hurt! But she continued, “No, it’s like he’s sitting across from you at McDonald’s sharing Diet Cokes.” Okay, I can live with that.
So how do we communicate love through our word processor? First, avoid being preachy or talking down to readers. Think of your readers as highly intelligent, but unlearned on the subject.
Instead of standing on the heights, shouting “Hey! Follow me!” Let them know you’re both in this together. Walk with them, rather than talk at them.
So show your readers some love!